OWNER Paul Casson has jetted in from Texas to see Barrow AFC go out all to beat Bristol Rovers tomorrow.

The American-based telecommunications millionaire has flown back over the Atlantic to see his team take on Football League opposition for the first time since he took over at Holker Street two-and-a-half years ago.

A big task awaits the National League Bluebirds against a team two divisions above them, but Casson does not expect his players simply to be happy with taking part and insists they will be going out to win.

“We'll go there and it's going to be a very difficult game against a very good team who are playing well,” he said. “We'll just give it our best shot and see what happens.

“If we get a draw and bring them back to Holker Street, that would be very interesting indeed, but we will certainly try and win it on the day. We're not going there just to participate, that's for sure.”

While there will already be thoughts among some players and supporters about the potential for a big third-round tie should Barrow make it past the Pirates, Casson is keen to stress that tomorrow's game itself is a big one for the club.

It is the first time AFC have been drawn away at a Football League club since their back-to-back Premier League encounters with Middlesbrough and Sunderland in 2009 and 2010, though they have hosted Rotherham United at Holker Street in the interim.

“Bristol Rovers are a big team – if you got them in the third round of the FA Cup, it would be a good draw, so I just think that it's a good draw in the second round of the FA Cup,” Casson added.

“I'm sure they have aspirations of getting into the Championship. Traditionally, they have been a big club, so for us it's a big game.

“We don't see it as a potential stepping stone, if we could get through, to a big game. For us, it is a big game.”

This season marks the first time since Casson took charge of Barrow that the club have won an FA Cup game.

In the past two campaigns, defeats to Runcorn Town and AFC Fylde have seen them exit at the first hurdle, but this time they have come past both Tranmere Rovers and Taunton Town.

That is more in keeping with the chairman's expectations for the club, and Casson admits to some excitement over the prospect of playing Bristol Rovers – though he says that would pale into comparison should AFC continue their fine form in the National League throughout the season.

He said: “I think previously we have fallen short of what I think we should have achieved – we should at least be punching at our weight, but previously we have been knocked out at the first hurdle in all of the cup competitions.

“I expect us to get through the fourth qualifying round, because it's an open date afterwards. We did that, then we had a very interesting couple of games against Taunton where they did very well and did exactly what cup giant-killers try to do, but they didn't do it and we say them off – unlike Gillingham and a whole bunch of other teams in the first round.

“We prepared right and we got through. Now, Bristol Rovers have to do that.

“We'll count the benefits up at the end of the season. I think all this nice transient attention from the FA Cup pales in significance to the excitement, the buzz, the anticipation that will build if we maintain this league position right to the end.

“The FA Cup is great for a short fix of caffeine if you are a little dozy and you need something like that. It's a great day out, a fantastic day that people will talk about forever, but the pit-of-the-stomach feeling over every Saturday, every point becoming vital as we progress towards the end of the season is totally different.

“I think that's something we haven't had here probably since the team was promoted from Conference North in 2008, coming from a mile behind.

“There were certain expectations that came with 2014. We were top of the team or thereabout for a long time and we were never going to miss the play-offs or more. There was a lack of anticipation. The lack of a championship would have been considered to be something of a failure. There wasn't that real sense of going into uncharted territory. I think this season we are really going into uncharted territory.”